Street Festivals(Japan)

Japanese street festivals (matsuri) are celebrations during the year. These dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays such as Setsubun or Obon. Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer/early autumn, usually related to the rice harvest. Most often there are parades, which may include elaborate floats. Preparation for these processions is usually organized at the level of neighborhoods, or machi. Prior to these, the local kami may be ritually installed in mikoshi and paraded through the streets. You can always find booths selling souvenirs and food such as takoyaki, and games, such as Goldfish scooping, and other forms of entertainment.